brooks



(Model) P-VK. SHANKLAND' &'E. A. BROOKS BILL AND FILE HOLDER. No. 254,395.. Patented Feb. 28,1882.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PALMER K. SHANKLAND AND EDWIN A. BROOKS, OF JAMESTOWN, N. Y.

BILL AND FILE HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 254,395, dated February 28, 1882.

Application filed November 14, 1881. (Model.)

will enable others skilled in the art to whichit pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

Our invention relates to an improvement in bill and file holders; and it consists in the combination of a back, which is formed of two separate parts, with a metallic clamp, which is formed of two jaws that are hinged loosely together, each one of which jaws is provided with an ear or projection, a screw-rod which is placed between the two cars or projections, and a nut which is movable upon the screwrod for the purpose of closing the. two jaws upon the two parts of the back and the bills or papers placed between them, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of our invention. Figs. 2 and 3 are end views of the same, taken from different ends. Fig. 4 is a perspective, showing the dividing-leaves.

A represents a pile of bills, of any desired shape or length, and which are divided into a number'of series or groups correspondingto the number of letters in the alphabet. Each group of bills is separated from the other groups by means of the dividing-leaves B, which leaves are of the same length as the bills, and are enough wider than the bills to allow the index to be cut in their projecting edges. These dividing-sheets enable the bills of any one group or series to be turned to immediately, so that the items of the bill can be recorded under their proper name, either to be torn out or to be retained and used for future reference. Each bill is perforated along its top, so as to be readily detached from the stub, and upon the stub will be printed or otherwise marked any suitable words, figures, or memoranda-of any kind.

The bills and their dividing-sheets, after they have been arranged together, as shown, are placed between the two parts G G of the cover. The top part, G, of the cover is so constructed at its end where the clamp is applied to it that it can be freely opened out, as if hinged to that part which remains between the edges of the clamp, while the other part,

ward, has a rigid flange or projection, H, formed upon its lower side for the curved jaw of the clamp to catch behind. One of the curvedjaws of the clamp catches in the groove which is made in the upper part of the cover,

hind the flange or'thickness which is formed upon the other portion of the cover, and the clamp is then prevented from slipping be after it has been once secured in place.

- The clamp is formed of the two jaws I J, which are hinged together, as shown in Fig. 3, and each one of which has a turned-out flange or projection, L, extending from its center. Between these two flanges is placed the screw-rod 0, upon which moves the thumbscrew P. When this thumb-screw is moved downward toward the smooth end of the rod, which is secured to the projection on one of the jaws, the two jaws of the clamp can be freely opened and closed as far as the two parts can move; but when this screw is forced upward so that its upper end bears against the flange or projection upon the upper part of the clamp the inner edges of the clamp are forced inward toward each other, so as to clamp the two parts of the back and all that is contained between them rigidly together. When this thumb-screw is moved downward so as to loosen the two jaws, and it is desired to remove the clamp from the two covers and what is-held between them, the clamp must be moved endwise, so that the turned-in edges of the jaws will slip along in the groove that is made in the upper part of the cover and be hind the flange or projection that is formed upon the lower part, as is shown. The inner edges of these jaws are curved inward toward each other, as shown, so that after they have once been applied to the back and what is contained between them the clamp will not readily slip off in case the screw should not be tightened sufficiently, or if the screw should ever succeed in working loose. After one set of bills have been used up the clamp is re- G, of the cover which is not to he turned back-- while the other jaw of the clamp catches bemoved by pulling it off endwise, the dividingsheets are placed between another series of bills, and the hills can then be placed between the two parts of the cover and again clamped in position, as already described.

Having thus described our invention, we claim- 1. The combination of the two parts of the cover, a clamp composed of two curved jaws which are hinged together, a screw-rod, and a thumb-screw, the parts being arranged to operate substantially as described.

2. The combination of a clamp composed of the two curved jaws, each one of which is 

